Category Archives: Death/Funeral

A person professing to be a Muslim who commits a terrorist attack against civilians and in the process kills himself (suicide bombing) is obviously a despicable person.

In such a scenario:

Will this person be given ghusl and will Janaza prayer be NECESSARY for him?

If Janaza is NECESSARY for him, can the ulama refuse to perform the Janaza due to the heinous nature of the crime?

If all the ulama refuse to perform the Janaza, it is assumed that the common people WILL still HAVE to perform it. Is this understanding correct?

Answer

Assalaamu Alaikum

These acts are heinous and despicable, and are major sins in Islam which will bring about severe punishment in the life hereafter. Howbeit, the person will still be a Muslim and ghusl and Janaza will be necessary for him. On account of these grave sins, the Ulama can refuse to perform the Janaza. However, some of the common people (Muslims) will have to do it.

Is it permissible/valid to perform 4 extra takbirs making a total of 5 takbirs for janazah?

Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah,

If a person says 5 takbirs for the Janaza salah instead of four, it will be permissible and valid. However, the overwhelming majority of scholars including the four great Imams of FIqh hold the opinion that there are four Takbirs for the Janaza Salah and one should not increase upon this amount. This is based on the authentic narrations from the Prophet (S.A.S). In this regard, it is narrated from Anas (R.A) that the Prophet (S.A.S) made 4 takbirs for Janaza Salah. (Recorded by Imam Bukhari and Muslim). It is also narrated from Abu Hurairah (R.A) that the Prophet (S.A.S) informed the Sahabahs of the death of the Negus on the day that he died. He came out with them to the prayer area and formed the lines for Salah Al Janaza with them and made four takbirs.’ (Recorded by Imam Bukhari and Muslim). Similar traditions have been narrated by Abdullah Ibn Abbas (R.A).

It is on account of these authentic narrations, the overwhelming majority of Fuqaha (Jurists) of all Cities have stated that there are four Takbirs in the Janaza Salah. (Bidaya Al Mujtahid, Vol.1, Pg. 240, Manshooraat Al Radhi, QOM 1406 A.H; Al FIqhul Islam Wa Adilatihi, Vol.2, Pg. 1516, Maktaba Rasheediya, Queta, Pakistan.).

With respect to Janaza Salah, should there be odd number of lines and that the first line should be longer?

Wa Alaikum Assalaam,

الجواب و بالله التوفيق

Yes, it is evident from narrations to have odd number of lines for Janaza. In fact, the Scholars have mentioned that it is Mustahab to have 3 lines for the Janaza Salah. If there is a need to have more lines (due to the amount of people), then it can be increased to 5 or 7 lines. In a hadith, Malik Bin Hubairah states that the Prophet (S.A.S) said, ‘A person upon whom 3 lines perform Janaza Salah, it will be waajib for this person to get the blessings of Allah.’ (Recorded by Imam Tirmidhi who said, ‘this hadith has also been narrated from Aisha (R.A), Umm Habeeba (R.A), Abu Hurairah (R.A), Maimuna (R.A)’). There are similar traditions with the same meaning.

The Fuqaha have stated, ‘It is on account of this, it is Mustahab to have 3 lines. If there are 7 people, one should go in front as the Imam, 3 should stand in the first line, 2 should stand in the second line and 1 should stand in the third line.’ (Shami Vol.2, Pg.214, H.M Saeed Company, Karachi; Fatawa Hindiya Vol.1, Pg.163 – Chapter 5 on the Salah of Janaza).

Can we, as Muslims, perform Janaza Salah for one who has committed suicide?

Wa Alaikum Assalaam,

الجواب و بالله التوفيق

Committing Suicide is a very grave sin in Islam, and it is totally haram for one to do this. It is narrated in a hadith of Sahih Muslim, ‘that a person who committed suicide was brought in front of the Prophet (S.A.S) to perform the Janaza Salah, but the Prophet (S.A.S) refused to do so. The Prophet (S.A.S) however, did not stop the Sahabahs from performing the Janaza.’

Based on this, most Fuqaha (Jurists) and Scholars have stated that the Janaza of such a person will be performed. The Prophet (S.A.S) did not perform the Janaza for this person in order to show disgust for such actions. This is similar to the occasion when he refused to perform Janaza Salah for one who died, and was indebted to others and did not leave anything to pay off the debts.

The belief of the Ahl Sunnah Wal Jamaah is that one who commits a major sin in not an unbeliever. He remains a believer. Hence, a Muslim who commits suicide is still a Muslim and his Janaza will be performed.

The great Scholar, Tahir Bin Abdur Rasheed Al Bukhari writes in his famous compendium of Islamic formal verdicts, Khulasatul Fatawa, ‘ And as for one who commits suicide, he shall be given a bath and Salah (Janaza) will be performed upon him according to Imams Abu Hanifa and Muhammad (A.R). The great Jurist Shamsul A’imma Al Hulwa’i used to given fatawa on this (Khulasatul Fatawa – 25th Chapter on Janaza). The same has been mentioned in Fatawa Hindiya, with the additional statement, ‘And this is more sound (correct).’ (Fatwa Hindiya Chapter 5 – Salah upon the deceased – Fatawa Haqqaniya Vol.3, Pg.439, Jamia Darul Uloom Haqqaniya, Akora Khatak, Nawshera, Pakistan, 2002; Kitabul Fatawa, Vol.3, Pg.183, Zam Zam Publishers, Karachi, 2008.).

Respected Mufti SB when a non Muslim Kafir passed away is then he realises that Islam is the only true religion, what happens after they are buried if you can give me some detail on disbeliever after death and placed in the grave.

Answer: Wa Alikum As Salaam,

It is narrated in authentic traditions that when an unbelieving person is about to leave the world and move towards the hereafter, black-faced angels come to him from the sky with coarse cloth and sit down as far as his eyes can see. This is followed by the arrival of the angel of death who sits down at the end of the person and says: ‘O wicked soul! Come towards the displeasure and anger of your Lord’. Having heard this proclamation of the Angel of Death, the soul of the unbeliever begins to run and take refuge in different parts of his body. But the Angel pulls it out in a rough and harsh manner, and wraps it in the coarse cloth which is filthy and gives of the stench as the dead and rotten bodies on the earth. When the angels ascend to various levels in the sky (while carrying the soul), groups of angels at different levels ask, ‘Who is this wicked soul?’ The reply is given, ‘This is so and so, the son of so and so’. The doors of heaven remain closed for him as Allah says, ‘The doors of heaven would not be opened for them, nor will they enter paradise until a camel passes through the eye of a needle.’ (Quran 7: 40).

After this, Allah commands the angels to have his name written in the book of the wicked souls. Thereafter, his soul is placed back in his body and two angels come to him. They make him sit up and ask him, ‘Who is your Lord?’ He replies, ‘Ah! Ah! I don’t know.’ The Angels then ask him, ‘What is your religion?’ He replies, ‘Ah! Ah! I don’t know.’ He is further questioned, ‘Who is this man (Muhammad ﷺ) who was sent to you?’ He replies, ‘Ah! Ah! I don’t know.’ After this, a proclaimer from the sky proclaims, ‘He has lied. Spread fire under his body as a bed and clothe him with the clothing of fire. The intense heat and smoke of the fire then comes to him (while he is in the grave). The grave is then straightened upon him. It closes in upon him to the extent that one side of his ribs begin to penetrate the other side. A blind and deaf angel is then entrusted upon him. The angel is given an iron hammer to beat him, that if a mountain is struck with that hammer, it will turn to dust. The angel will then give the unbeliever a blow with the hammer that can be heard by all creatures between the east and the west except men and jinn. With this blow, the person will turn to dust. The soul will again return to the body, and the beating of the angel will continue.’ (Mishkat).

A Muslim was asked/invited to attend a christian work colleague’s funeral in a church. The Muslim attended. He had No intention of Kufr.

In the church during the funeral everyone was given a paper with prayers and other writing etc. The Muslim had a read of it and also pretended that he was having a read of it and also pretended that he was looking/reading it so his colleagues dont think bad of him and just pretended to show that he was interested in the paper.

The vicar and other christian’s repeated some hymns and prayers and words etc. The Muslim might have said some hymns or prayers along with others without the intention of believing in them.
On numerous occasions during the funeral the vicar made everyone stand up and then sit back down, as this might have been part of the christian funeral, so the Muslim also stood up with the rest of the Christians.

Does attending this funeral and doing any of the above mentioned affect his Muslim faith? Does he have to repeat kalima and Nikah?

The Muslim had no intention of Kufr and loves Islam.

Wa salaam.

Answer: Wa Alaikum As Salaam,

Attending the funeral in the church will not affect the faith of the Muslim. However, one must refrain from attending such places for funerals, functions etc. since they are required to compromise in their religious teachings and also witness statements and actions that are based on Shirk. (Kitabul fatawa Vol. 3 pg. 116 Zam zam Publishers Karachi).

With respect to repeating the Kalima and re-doing the Nikah, these are not required if one’s belief was not upon what he read or said. However, if he read the prayers or the hymns, he should repent to Allah for having done so.

If a person utters the Shahada solely in order to get married under Islamic rights but never practices and many years later this person dies never having practiced Islam or any other religion would this person be considered as a Muslim and can an Islamic funeral be given?

Answer:

Wa Alaikum Assalaam.

If a person utters the shahadah to get married and believes in the shahadah by accepting Allah as his creator and God, Prophet Muhammad (S.A.S) as the final Prophet and Islam as his religion, then he will be deemed as a Muslim even if he did not practice any of the rituals and practices of Islam. In this case, when he dies, he will be given a Islamic funeral. If however, he did any act which showed that he followed another religion, or he rejected Islam, then he will no longer be a Muslim and upon his death, he will not be given an Islamic funeral.

In a case where one utters the shahadah to get married, but did not have any belief in the shahadah. If he did not accept Allah as his creator and God, did not accept Prophet Muhammad (S.A.S) as the final messenger and did not accept Islam as his religion, then he will not be considered a Muslim. Upon his death, he will not be given a Muslim funeral.

Question: Asalaamu alaikum, can you please explain where and what is barzakh and how does the soul undergo its journey towards it and also if the soul is in barzakh and and the body is in the grave then how does the body feel the punishment of the grave if it’s soul is in barzakh. Jazakh Allah.

Answer:

Wa Alaikum As Salaam,

Barzakh in Arabic literally means a ‘barrier’, and in the context of ‘life after death’ it refers to the barrier that separates the life of the world from that of the hereafter which starts with the Day of Resurrection. About this, the Holy Quran states, “Until, when death comes to one of them, he says, “My Lord, send me back. That I might do righteousness in that which I left behind.” No! It is only a word he is saying; and behind them is a (barzakh) barrier until the Day they are resurrected”. (Surah Al Muminoon Verses 99, 100).

After a person dies, his body is placed in the grave and he remains in the state/stage of barzakh. Life in barzakh overlaps with the abode in the grave.

After the soul is extracted from the body (which causes death), it is returned to the body in the grave. This brings about a type of life in the grave and this is the stage of barzakh. Life in barzakh is not separate from life in the grave. The grave is the abode in which the state of barzakh comes about.

So, whatever has been mentioned regarding the occurrences in the grave, this itself is barzakh. The place is the grave and the state is that of barzakh. It is not that the body is in the grave and the soul is in barzakh. Both of these are united together to become one in which Allah places a different type of life referred to as the barzakh life. The body and soul then remain together in the state of barzakh which is known as life in the grave.